18 Keto Desserts That Make the Diet Even Better

When you’re cutting down on carbs and saying “so long” to sugar, you might be wondering how dessert—which, after all, involves sweets by definition—is supposed to fit in.

Thankfully, it’s not as much of a head-scratcher as you might think. Thanks to a ton of keto-friendly ingredients on the market these days, you can enjoy a piece of cake or a fudgy brownie just as easily as any other sweet fiend out there—you’ve just got to make it yourself! So grab your keto-friendly dark chocolate, your favorite alternative sweeteners, your nut flours, and of course, your butter. It’s time to master keto desserts.

1. No-Bake Low Carb Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Treats

Photo: My Life Cookbook

Doing away with the pie crust, this take on cheesecake gets right to the point: the luscious, smooth filling. With layers of tart strawberries cutting the richness of the cream cheese mixture, this parfait-like treat is both decadent and refreshing.

2. Keto Vanilla Pound Cake

Photo: Hey Keto Mama

Rich and buttery, pound cake isn’t usually associated with healthy eating, but all the eggs and sour cream in here fit comfortably within a keto diet plan. This recipe cuts down on the carbs by using almond flour and corn-derived erythritol as a sugar alternative.

3. Vegan Coconut Macaroons

Photo: Neurotic Mommy

Going keto might compel you to start experimenting with ingredients you would have never used otherwise. These vegan treats, for example, are held together with aquafaba—the liquid from a can of chickpeas, believe it or not. Still, the shredded coconut and the smooth chocolate on the bottom make them taste like the mouthwatering macaroons you know and love.

4. Grain-Free Maple Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Photo: Spinach Tiger

If plain cheesecake can be a bit too bland for you in the texture department, this recipe helps jazz things up. Between the crumbly almond flour pastry and the pecans studded throughout the filling, there’s enough crunch in here to keep the boredom at bay.

5. Easy Orange Cake Balls

Photo: Pretty Pies

Coconut flour replaces the regular kind to keep these cake balls keto. Even better, these cakes require no baking. Just mix, roll, and enjoy.

6. Cacao Butter Keto Blondies

Photo: My Sweet Keto

With plenty of butter—of both the regular and the cacao variety—plus coconut cream and eggs, these squares turn out exactly the way blondies should: dense, fudgy, and totally addictive. They’re the type of dessert you can feed to non-keto people, and they’d never know the difference.

7. Keto Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo: Broke Foodies

Aside from the almond flour base, not a whole lot about this recipe is that different from a regular carrot cake. You’ve got your carrots (duh), your spices, and of course, that non-negotiable cream cheese frosting, all of which make for a delectable—and not overly sweet—end result.

8. Keto Low-Carb Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Photo: Sugar Free Mom

Don’t let the need for an ice cream machine throw you off; you can also make this in a food processor and freeze in a loaf pan. The keto ice cream tastes as close to a standard butter pecan scoop as you can get. Summertime treats just got a little bit sweeter.

9. Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

Stir some real pumpkin purée into your whipped cheesecake to give it some more depth of flavor, not to mention a tasty source of fiber. Since the mousse takes only 15 minutes to whip up, you’ll be making it often, regardless of the season.

10. Keto Avocado Brownies

Photo: My PCOS Kitchen

Not that going butter-free is really a concern on keto, but swapping it out for avocado makes these brownies suitable for any dairy-free dessert eaters you’ll be serving. For extra fudgy results, be sure to underbake slightly!

11. Keto Lemon Bars

Photo: Hey Keto Mama

New motto: When life gives you lemons, make keto lemon bars. Buttery, dense, and zesty, these delicious squares are a great way to get fruitiness without the carbs.

12. Almond Joy Chia Seed Pudding

Photo: What Great Grandma Ate

Chia pudding may be a popular breakfast item, but the addition of cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips automatically qualifies this version for dessert. Whip it up in the morning to have a cool treat waiting for you in the evening.

13. Keto Coconut Mocha Donuts

Photo: Keto Size Me

Donuts with coffee in them? These may be part of our dessert roundup, but they’re just asking to be breakfast. Thankfully, they’re packed with satisfying ingredients like fiber-rich coconut flour, eggs, and coconut oil, so you could totally get away with enjoying one in the morning.

14. Pistachio Toffee Cups

Photo: Bijoux and Bits

Pistachio is a seriously under-utilized nut, but this recipe reminds us why we need to use more of it. The chopped nuts become part of the caramel-like filling in these bite-size chocolates for a milder but much more unique alternative to peanut butter cups.

15. Sugar-Free Chocolate Bark With Bacon and Almonds

Photo: Jennifer Banz

We probably had you at “bacon,” but if that’s not already reason enough to make this sweet and savory bark, consider the fact that it also requires only three ingredients and no oven. There’s nothing not to love about it.

16. Avocado Popsicle With Coconut and Lime

Photo: Ketogasm

High-fat desserts can feel heavy fast, so serving them chilled is a great way to lighten things up. These eye-catching popsicles use avocado to get the necessary texture of ice cream, but generous pours of lime juice provide a pop of flavor to keep them from weighing you down.

17. 3-Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies

Photo: I Save A to Z

File this under “easiest way ever to satisfy a cookie craving.” With no flour in the mix, these are all about pure peanut buttery goodness. There’s even a no-sweetener option!

18. Keto Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies

Photo: Real Balanced

If you haven’t tried the chocolate and sea salt combo yet, boy, are you in for a treat with this recipe. Just a sprinkle of the savory stuff perfectly offsets the naturally sweet, soft, and chewy cookie, giving these so much more depth than the average chocolate bis